FC: Former SU and Patriots coach Dick MacPherson dead at 86. JP story.. funny

[SLion]

I think he once called Joe "a Machaivallian" bc our exit to Big Ten. Had some pretty solid years in late 80s and 90s.

A Paterno story:

Here is MacPherson's re-telling:

"He's at Penn State, and I think it was his first time going to Penn State, so he looked up a church to go to for early morning service. He found one called Our Lady of Victory, which was perfect.

"He went there for the 6 a.m. service on game day. There are two people in the church that day, Coach Mac and Joe Paterno.

"So, as he tells the story, they end the service. Paterno goes over and lights a candle. He doesn't want to be out-done, so he goes up and lights a candle next to him. They both kneel down to pray.

"Paterno gets up to leave and (my grandfather) looks out the shoulder and whoosh he blows out Paterno's candle in Our Lady of Victory."

 

[Bob78]

I think he once called Joe "a Machaivallian" bc our exit to Big Ten. Had some pretty solid years in late 80s and 90s.

A Paterno story:

Here is MacPherson's re-telling:

"He's at Penn State, and I think it was his first time going to Penn State, so he looked up a church to go to for early morning service. He found one called Our Lady of Victory, which was perfect.

"He went there for the 6 a.m. service on game day. There are two people in the church that day, Coach Mac and Joe Paterno.

"So, as he tells the story, they end the service. Paterno goes over and lights a candle. He doesn't want to be out-done, so he goes up and lights a candle next to him. They both kneel down to pray.

"Paterno gets up to leave and (my grandfather) looks out the shoulder and whoosh he blows out Paterno's candle in Our Lady of Victory."

Good story.
There was some tension between PSU and Syracuse for a while because of the whole Big East thing. They took a large chunk of Joe's vision for a conference and ran with it, but kept PSU out of it!

From what I recall of the "Machaivallian" reference was that, when asked for a response to Mac calling him that, Joe said something along the lines of, 'I'm surprised he knows what that means.'

The last game of that long series was in 1990, at a time when PSU was getting back from struggling a bit and Syracuse had become a factor again (and beat us in '87 and '88), was played at PSU. Syracuse had a good team, and PSU won a tough, tight game by a TD, I think. Coach Mac was upset after the game and said 'I didn't want them to get out of this series with a win.' PSU had been announced as going into the B1G, and the PSU schedule was starting to drop some of the more traditional games with the anticipation of playing the B1G schedule starting in '93. Syracuse was one of the first to be dropped.

 

[Art]

Coach Dick was a blowhard. Since I was taught not to speak ill of the dead, we'll leave it at that.

 

[papa_ed]

I attended the PSU-Cuse game at the Carrier dome in 1987. For a building sponsered by an A/C company it was hot as hell. Syracuse jumped out to a big lead in the first half, first play from scrimmage was a long TD pass for them, can't remember the receiver but their quarterback was Don McPherson. Macpherson pulled his starters after a series or so in the second half. PSU started to make a comeback in the third with Gary Brown and Leroy Thompson (both freshmen I believe), and Mac got antsy and reinserted his starters soon after. I was treated very well by the Syracuse people, (the guys in front of us actually bought us a beer), but the 48-21 pasting in their favor probably was the reason for that. That team did go to a bowl that year and had an uninspired 10-35 loss to Clemson. They didn't go to a bowl after the 88 season, I remember after a late season loss, Joe called them a bunch of babies. Thankfully the team put together a nice run after that, up until 2000 season, most of you probably know the rest. I remember the Machaivallian thing Bob78, Joe was just being Joe with that response.

 

[Thus Spoke Mainer]

I attended the PSU-Cuse game at the Carrier dome in 1987. For a building sponsered by an A/C company it was hot as hell. Syracuse jumped out to a big lead in the first half, first play from scrimmage was a long TD pass for them, can't remember the receiver but their quarterback was Don McPherson. Macpherson pulled his starters after a series or so in the second half. PSU started to make a comeback in the third with Gary Brown and Leroy Thompson (both freshmen I believe), and Mac got antsy and reinserted his starters soon after. I was treated very well by the Syracuse people, (the guys in front of us actually bought us a beer), but the 48-21 pasting in their favor probably was the reason for that. That team did go to a bowl that year and had an uninspired 10-35 loss to Clemson. They didn't go to a bowl after the 88 season, I remember after a late season loss, Joe called them a bunch of babies. Thankfully the team put together a nice run after that, up until 2000 season, most of you probably know the rest. I remember the Machaivallian thing Bob78, Joe was just being Joe with that response.

JP called the 84 team a bunch of babies after the Pitt loss, not the 88 team.

 

[PSU_l]

I attended the PSU-Cuse game at the Carrier dome in 1987. For a building sponsered by an A/C company it was hot as hell. Syracuse jumped out to a big lead in the first half, first play from scrimmage was a long TD pass for them, can't remember the receiver but their quarterback was Don McPherson. Macpherson pulled his starters after a series or so in the second half. PSU started to make a comeback in the third with Gary Brown and Leroy Thompson (both freshmen I believe), and Mac got antsy and reinserted his starters soon after. I was treated very well by the Syracuse people, (the guys in front of us actually bought us a beer), but the 48-21 pasting in their favor probably was the reason for that. That team did go to a bowl that year and had an uninspired 10-35 loss to Clemson. They didn't go to a bowl after the 88 season, I remember after a late season loss, Joe called them a bunch of babies. Thankfully the team put together a nice run after that, up until 2000 season, most of you probably know the rest. I remember the Machaivallian thing Bob78, Joe was just being Joe with that response.

Believe that Syracuse team ended the regular season undefeated 11-0 and went to the Sugar Bowl where they played SEC Champ Auburn coached by Pat Dye at the time. Auburn kicked a FG on the last play of the game which ended the game in a 16-16 tie. Auburn kicked the FG from around the 15 yard line as there was only a couple seconds left and the clock was stopped after the prior play. MacPherson was his usual classless self after the game whining about Pat Dye's decision to kick the FG....and how he never would have done such a thing....

 

[papa_ed]

I stand corrected TSM, thanks, my memory isn't what it used to be, back in the 70's into the early eighties, I could name every player on the roster, their number, position and years of eligiblity, now I have to carry a copy of the roster, to identify the starters

 

[Thus Spoke Mainer]

I stand corrected TSM, thanks, my memory isn't what it used to be, back in the 70's into the early eighties, I could name every player on the roster, their number, position and years of eligiblity, now I have to carry a copy of the roster, to identify the starters

Exactly, I first started following PS football closely a couple of years after graduation. I can still name every number of the '77 and '78 teams.

 

[harbest]

Coach Dick was a blowhard. Since I was taught not to speak ill of the dead, we'll leave it at that.

When Bette Davis was told of Joan Crawfords death, she replied "You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good . . . Joan Crawford is dead. Good".

 

[Art]

When Bette Davis was told of Joan Crawfords death, she replied "You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good . . . Joan Crawford is dead. Good".

I like that. Consider it stolen.

 

[Bob78]

Believe that Syracuse team ended the regular season undefeated 11-0 and went to the Sugar Bowl where they played SEC Champ Auburn coached by Pat Dye at the time. Auburn kicked a FG on the last play of the game which ended the game in a 16-16 tie. Auburn kicked the FG from around the 15 yard line as there was only a couple seconds left and the clock was stopped after the prior play. MacPherson was his usual classless self after the game whining about Pat Dye's decision to kick the FG....and how he never would have done such a thing....

Classless A vs. Classless B in that bowl. Dye perhaps was a jerk for not going for the win, but that could be argued either way; MacPherson knew that a tie would kill his chances for a share or at least a claim at the NC. He was yelling from across the field at Dye (a complete ass in his own right) to go for it in the seconds before the play as the FG team was trotting on to the field. He gave Dye a fly-by handshake after the game. Dye stated, and was right, that he wasn't concerned about Syracuse, he was concerned about his own team.
Still, in the bigger picture, going for the win would have been great drama. Dye had nothing to lose from the outside looking in.
As much as I didn't like Dye, I see his point of view, even though I disagree with it. The good thing is that it hurt MacPherson and we all got to see his personality come through afterward.

Still, he was a good coach who raised Syracuse back to respectability for a brief period. Some good players came through his program. RIP.

 

[NITTANYJGK]

Part of the resentment that Coach Mac had for Joe involved PSU asking for a multiple game future series in which more of the games would be at Penn State. Joe had said they needed the extra game(s) at home to help fund athletics at PSU and "thought you could help us out". Coach Mac was insulted, and rightfully so, that Syracuse would be treated as a nobody like a Temple. Coach Mac was right. Our financial considerations were our problem not Syracuse's.

 

[kgilbert78]

Good story.
There was some tension between PSU and Syracuse for a while because of the whole Big East thing. They took a large chunk of Joe's vision for a conference and ran with it, but kept PSU out of it!

From what I recall of the "Machaivallian" reference was that, when asked for a response to Mac calling him that, Joe said something along the lines of, 'I'm surprised he knows what that means.'

The last game of that long series was in 1990, at a time when PSU was getting back from struggling a bit and Syracuse had become a factor again (and beat us in '87 and '88), was played at PSU. Syracuse had a good team, and PSU won a tough, tight game by a TD, I think. Coach Mac was upset after the game and said 'I didn't want them to get out of this series with a win.' PSU had been announced as going into the B1G, and the PSU schedule was starting to drop some of the more traditional games with the anticipation of playing the B1G schedule starting in '93. Syracuse was one of the first to be dropped.

That 1990 game was the first Penn State game I took the now Mrs KG to....

 

[Bob78]

That 1990 game was the first Penn State game I took the now Mrs KG to....

First game I took wifey to was Syracuse 1980. Homecoming, I think. A trip to the Skeller, tailgating with my ahole buddies, cheering myself hoarse as I almost always do (even now), and the whole bit. She, being a Rutgers alum, was blown away by it all. Became an instant PSU fan.

 

[Diego Badman]

I remember all of those things that are being discussed. I will toss another one that was pretty classless. While Dick Anderson was at Rutgers, Syracuse beat Penn State in 1988 (for the second straight year). Anderson, while at Rutgers was asked to compare Penn State and Syracuse. Anderson politely declined. When MacPherson was told about that, he raged about how all Dick Anderson was interested in was to be the next head coach at Penn State, and that he probably wore blue underwear.

I remember reading that, and thinking that this guy really has a problem.

And, he couldn't stop after he became coach for New England. After the 81-0 win against Cincinnati, MacPherson made some snarky comment about Paterno. He should have been worrying about his own under-achieving team, but it seemed as though he still could not get the Penn State toxin out of his system.

 

[Zenophile]

For a building sponsered by an A/C company it was hot as hell.

 

[PSU_l]

Classless A vs. Classless B in that bowl. Dye perhaps was a jerk for not going for the win, but that could be argued either way; MacPherson knew that a tie would kill his chances for a share or at least a claim at the NC. He was yelling from across the field at Dye (a complete ass in his own right) to go for it in the seconds before the play as the FG team was trotting on to the field. He gave Dye a fly-by handshake after the game. Dye stated, and was right, that he wasn't concerned about Syracuse, he was concerned about his own team.
Still, in the bigger picture, going for the win would have been great drama. Dye had nothing to lose from the outside looking in.
As much as I didn't like Dye, I see his point of view, even though I disagree with it. The good thing is that it hurt MacPherson and we all got to see his personality come through afterward.

Still, he was a good coach who raised Syracuse back to respectability for a brief period. Some good players came through his program. RIP.

Completely disagree regarding Dye's choice (i.e., in regards to you "disagreeing with it")...

• Syracuse came into the game 11-0, while Auburn came in 9-1-1, and was the higher ranked team.
• It was going to be the last play of the game regardless of what happened (only a second or two left) on a stopped clock. Auburn had driven the field, but was still out by the 15 yard line (i.e., probability of scoring is ridiculously low).
• Syracuse came into the Sugar Bowl one of only 3 undefeated and untied teams playing in a Major Bowl (the other two being #1, 11-0, Oklahoma who was playing the other in the Orange Bowl, #2, 11-0, Miami.).
• Given those facts, Dye did the right thing by HIS TEAM, who deserved, and earned, a tie in that game and was like a win for Auburn given that they came into the game with a loss and a tie....and ranked lower.

 

[Bob78]

Completely disagree regarding Dye's choice (i.e., in regards to you "disagreeing with it")...

• Syracuse came into the game 11-0, while Auburn came in 9-1-1, and was the higher ranked team.
• It was going to be the last play of the game regardless of what happened (only a second or two left) on a stopped clock. Auburn had driven the field, but was still out by the 15 yard line (i.e., probability of scoring is ridiculously low).
• Syracuse came into the Sugar Bowl one of only 3 undefeated and untied teams playing in a Major Bowl (the other two being #1, 11-0, Oklahoma who was playing the other in the Orange Bowl, #2, 11-0, Miami.
• Given those facts, Dye did the right thing by HIS TEAM, who deserved, and earned, a tie in that game and was like a win for Auburn given that they came into the game with a loss and a tie....and ranked lower.

So, we are in agreement.... Dye did what he believed to be the right thing for his team, but not necessarily for the national scope. A coach's first obligation is to his team; I think everyone agrees with that. Me, or anyone, disagreeing with it from a fan's or national interest point of view is a whole different matter.

 

[PSU-CPA]

Completely disagree regarding Dye's choice (i.e., in regards to you "disagreeing with it")...

• Syracuse came into the game 11-0, while Auburn came in 9-1-1, and was the higher ranked team.
• It was going to be the last play of the game regardless of what happened (only a second or two left) on a stopped clock. Auburn had driven the field, but was still out by the 15 yard line (i.e., probability of scoring is ridiculously low).
• Syracuse came into the Sugar Bowl one of only 3 undefeated and untied teams playing in a Major Bowl (the other two being #1, 11-0, Oklahoma who was playing the other in the Orange Bowl, #2, 11-0, Miami.
• Given those facts, Dye did the right thing by HIS TEAM, who deserved, and earned, a tie in that game and was like a win for Auburn given that they came into the game with a loss and a tie....and ranked lower.

Typical McPherson story. I knew the Syracuse student who interviewed him each week on a show one year. (He did not care for McP). McP noticed the student looked a little stressed before one show and asked what was wrong. My friend told him he was having a rough time with his English class assignment. He asked McP if they could just keep this among themselves and McP agreed.

At the end of the 30 minute show, my friend says good luck this week coach. McP says, "Good luck with your struggles on the English assignment."